The Great Commission Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “Good news for all the world!”
Jesus had died on the cross. But God raised him to life again! Early in the morning, some women went to the tomb. An angel told them, “He is not here, for he has risen.” The women ran off with great joy!
Then Jesus himself met the women on the way. He said, “Rejoice!” They held his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee. There they will see me.”
Galilee was the land by the big lake. That was where Jesus had first called his friends to follow him.
So Jesus’ eleven disciples went to Galilee. There were eleven now, because Judas was not with them anymore. They went up the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Can you climb a mountain? Up, up, up!
There they saw Jesus! They bowed down and worshiped him. But some of them were still not sure. Maybe it seemed too wonderful to be true. Then Jesus came to them.
Jesus spoke to them. “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” Authority means the right to rule. Jesus is King over everything!
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” A disciple is someone who follows Jesus and learns from him. All nations means people everywhere! Good news for all the world!
Let’s point all around the world: this way and that way, near and far! Hot lands and cold lands. Big cities and little villages.
Jesus told them to baptize people “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Baptizing means washing with water, as a sign of belonging to God.
Jesus told them to teach people “to observe all things that I commanded you.” Observe means to do and keep. What had Jesus commanded? Love God with all your heart. Love each other. Good news for all the world!
Then Jesus gave them a wonderful promise. “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Always means every day and every night. The end of the age means the very end of time! Can you hug yourself? Jesus is that close.
So the friends went out. They told the good news in Jerusalem, and then in more and more places. Later, others carried it to lands far, far away. Good news for all the world!
People told their children, and those children told their children. And that is how the good news came all the way to you!
The friends were not alone. Jesus was with them, and he is with his people still – even tonight. Good news for all the world!
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Who would you like to tell about Jesus?
- How do you feel when you know someone is always with you?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Color the 11 disciples on the mountain with Jesus.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“I am with you always” — Matthew 28:20 (I am with you → hug yourself; always → draw a big circle in the air)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you are with me always. Thank you for good news for all the world. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: You can share God's love
Memory verse: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20 · WEB
The Bible story
On a sunny hilltop in Galilee, the risen Jesus gives His friends the most important job of all — and a promise that they would never, ever be alone.
Talk about it
- What wonderful thing happened after the sad day on the cross? — Jesus rose again and was alive
- Where did Jesus ask His friends to go and meet Him? — To a hill in Galilee
- Who were the friends Jesus sent His message to? — His disciples
- When the friends saw Jesus on the hill, what did many of them do? — Bowed down to worship Him
- Jesus said all power in heaven and on earth was given to whom? — To Jesus
- What special job did Jesus give His friends? — Make disciples of all nations
Where is Jesus in this story?
Matthew's Gospel begins with a promise that Jesus would be called Immanuel, which means “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23). It ends with Jesus promising, “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20). From the manger to the mountain the message is the same: in Jesus, God has come to be with his people, and he goes with every child who follows him.
What God wants to tell us
Jesus wanted everyone, everywhere, to know how much God loves them — and He trusted His friends to carry that happy news. God shows us that we all have something wonderful to give: a kind word, a helping hand, and the good truth that God loves us. And just as Jesus promised to stay with His friends, He is always close to you too, wherever you go.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for loving me and for the wonderful news about Jesus. Help me to be kind and to share Your love with the people around me. Thank You that You are always with me, wherever I go. Amen.
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